This type of card connector normally has an eject mechanism for ejecting a card. There is known an eject mechanism called a push-push type or a W-PUSH type. This type of eject mechanism has an eject member adapted to move in a connector along with an inserted card.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2003-217738 discloses a card connector in which an eject member having a pushing portion, an engaging portion, and a spring portion is switchable between first and second positions. In this card connector, in the state where a card is connected to the connector, the eject member is in the second position where the engaging portion is in engagement with a cutout of the card and this engagement is prevented from being released. Therefore, even if a strong pulling force is applied to the card, the card does not come off the connector. On the other hand, when the eject member is moved from the second position to the first position, the card is pushed out by the pushing portion. Although the engaging portion is still in engagement with the cutout of the card even in the first position, since this engagement can be released by elastic deformation of the spring portion, the card can be easily pulled out by applying a pulling force to the card to cause such elastic deformation.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2003-77589 discloses a connector for connecting an IC card. This connector includes a plate spring having one end fixed to an eject member and the other end serving as a locking portion curved into a generally U-shape. The locking portion can enter and retreat from a cutout of the IC card. A guide portion is provided in a connector housing of the connector. In this card connector, when the IC card is fitted into the connector, the effective size of the plate spring decreases following the movement of the eject member so that the locking portion enters the cutout of the IC card due to elastic deformation of the plate spring. Therefore, even if a strong pulling force is applied to the IC card, the IC card does not come off the connector. On the other hand, when the eject member moves in a direction of pushing out the IC card, the effective size of the plate spring increases so that the locking portion retreats from the cutout of the IC card due to restoration of the plate spring and thus the IC card can be easily pulled out.